Explore the famous Grand Palace in Bangkok

It will be deficient if you do not visit the Grand Palace when taking a trip to Bangkok. This is the architectural complex considered as the largest and most beautiful one in Thailand – the symbol of this country.

The history of the Grand Palace

The Grand Palace (also called the Phra Borom Maha Ratch Wang) was built by King Rama I in 1772 after moving the capital from Thonburi on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River to the east coast. As a 150-year-old residence of the royal family, court and the administrative center of the Government, the Grand Palace is a splendid ancient work with the creative and ingenious Thai architecture. It is also home to the Thai Military headquarters, the State government and the venue of major events.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok

The amazing architecture of the Grand Palace

Located in the center of Bangkok, the Grand Palace is built on an extremely large area of about 218,400 square meters, surrounded by four walls with a total length of 1,900 meters, constituted by 3 main regions. The outer area includes the royal office, public buildings, and Wat Phra Kaew. The central area serves important rituals with the combination of European and traditional Thai architecture. The interior is decorated elaborately, mainly inspired by European Renaissance period and the portraits of the royal Chakri dynasty are on display. 

Four extremely imposing buildings in the Grand Palace are Hakri Maha Prasad, Dusit Maha Prasad, Amarin Winitchai Hall, and Wat Phra Kaeo temple.

There is a large tower called Phra Sri Rattana, surrounded by gold inlays which preserves the corpses of Thai Kings and guarded by sacred elephants around the tower. Next to the tower, it is the Phra Mondop Library – the place to preserves the Buddhist scriptures dating back thousands of years.

The Grand Palace

A destination that tourists cannot miss is Wat Phra Kaew. In the temple, there is a 2-meter statue of Buddha carved from jade, depicting the meditating Buddha, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed that this statue will bring good luck to the place it is put. Only the King of Thailand is allowed to approach the Buddha statue. Each year, the King himself will change the vest for the statue three times, respectively in summer, winter and rainy season. This ritual is performed with the desire for peace and luck for the country.

In addition, around the shrines in the complex, there are the statues of Garuda to protect, symbolizing the guarding together. Next to the Wat Phra Kaew, there is an Angkor model ordered by King Rama III and an impressive model of the Chinese temple, built from the material from China.

The architecture of the Grand Palace surprises visitors not only by its scale but also by the sophistication in small details. Although it is mixed with some other architectural styles, it still features the bold Thai typical architecture with curved roofs. These works leave a deep impression on tourists because of the architecture which expresses much special significance in the development of the history as well as the rich culture of this country.  

Wat Phra Kaew in Grand Palace complex

What to explore in the Grand Palace

Coming here, you will clearly see the difference between the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew. One is the sophistication and elegance of the classic European architecture and the other is the ancient and sophisticated architecture of Thailand. 

To end the tour visiting the Grand Palace, you should head to the Royal Reception Halls. Today, this place is the venue to hold important events such as the registration ceremony. In this hall, there is also a traditional ancient throne. Guests are allowed to enter the Grand Palace Hall – Chakri Maha Prasat. There is also Dusit Hall, considered to be the most beautiful European building and a museum where the information on royal restoration, specimens, and images of the Buddha is displayed.

The Grand Palace is a world popular tourist destination but it is strictly protected. Right at the main gate, there is a large guard station with the elite and well-trained guards patrolling all day. Both domestic and foreign visitors must buy tickets to visit the Grand Palace.

Some notes when visiting the Grand Palace

The Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew are sacred places of Thailand, so tourists must follow some rules when coming here:

- You must get dressed appropriately. If you do not have the long sleeve shirts, long pants or skirts, you can rent sarong at the gate.

- In all cases, you are not allowed to put your feet to the Buddha statue. If you do, you may be pushed out.

- Taking photos inside the Wat Phra Kaew is strictly banned. This is not just a requirement of the temple, but in Thailand, using the image of the Buddha statue is illegal.

Such an amazing architecture that is worth a visit. Take your backpack and explore right now. For more information about Package Asia Tours, you can visit our website. Hope that this article is useful for you. Have a nice trip!